Comparison of radionuclide brain scan and computerized tomography for the detection of intracranial infections

The findings of radionuclide brain scans are computerized tomography (CT) were compared in 25 consecutive patients with intracranial infectious disease. Seventeen of the 25 patients had diffuse disease and eight had brain abscesses. The radionuclide scans showed abnormalities in 13 of the 17 patients with diffuse inflammatory disease, whereas th CT scans showed abnormalities compatible with inflammatory disease in five. All eight abscesses were demonstrated on the radionuclide scans, whereas the CT scans indicated abnormalities in seven cases. The authors conclude that the radionuclide brain scan is more sensitive than the CT scan for the demonstration of diffuse intracranial infectious disease.